The alarming increase of crime, violence and murder in recent years has brought about a greater need for security devices. The traditional methods of preventing forced entry, the use of locks and deadbolts, has not fulfilled society's needs. An average adult male or muscular female, intent on gaining forced entry, could generally kick in a door, no matter how many locks and deadbolt s have been installed.
Electronic surveyance systems have proved inadequate. The savvy hit-and-run criminal often escapes before the police arrive. He is frequently knowledgeable about response times. Traditional gates, commonly swinging on hinges, are often expensive and not appropriate for today's buildings. Many high density structures forbid them.
Therefore, there is a need for a device that will secure doors from forced entries. This is particularly applicable in areas of high-density structures in which the entry door is the only method of entrance. It is desirable to provide such a device which can be easily used and effective in preventing unauthorized entry.
In the past, various patents have issued relating to door securing devices. U.S. Pat. No. 313,942, issued on Mar. 17, 1885, to D. H. Knauer discloses a bar for securing doors and shutters. A plurality of keepers are positioned on a surface of the door so as to receive an exterior of a rigid bar. The rigid bar is pivotally connected to a mechanism on the door jamb. U.S. Pat. No. 1,748,598, issued on Feb. 25, 1930, to M. Dermody discloses a locking device for a door in which a bar is pivotally connected to a surface of the door. The bar is free to move about the pivot point so as to engage slots mounted on the door jamb, in one position, and to be free of the slots on the door jamb in another position. A locking member is connected, by a chain, to the bar so as to secure the bar in position. U.S. Pat. No. 2,130,216, issued on Sep. 13, 1938, to G. Zaninovich, describes a door locking bar which is rotatably mounted to the door. One end of the bar is received at one side of the door. The other end of the bar includes a slot which is pivotally connected to an end of the bar so as to engage a receiving latch. A lock can be mounted into the receiving latch so as to place the slot in proper engagement to a surface on the side of the door. U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,417, issued on May 7, 1974, to R. T. Craig shows a security device for use in securing doors against intruders. This security device has telescoping members which are pivotally mounted at one end to a door facing. It has a receiving member on the opposite door facing so as to receive the other end. Means are provided for anchoring the parts in their respective positions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,503, issued on Jul. 22, 1986, to J. L. Wicks, Sr. provides a device for securing doors against break-in. The invention consists of a hasp-like retainer member, an eye-type retainer member, and a bar-like security piece of rectangular cross-section. The retainer members are affixed to a wall or door casing on each side of the doorway and are secured at approximately the mid-height of the door. The hasp-like retainer, which is hinge-like in operation, may be folded back against the wall when not in use. When in use, the hasp-like is opened to a position generally perpendicular to the face of the wall of the casing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,053, issued on Sep. 20, 1988, to R. C. Oxley discloses a vandal-proof crossbar assembly for securing a door. This assembly includes first and second mounting members secured on opposite sides of the door and a crossbar which is secured within the mounting members by a shackle lock. The locks attach to pivot posts extending from the mounting members. The posts pivot freely about a first axis, and the shackles each define a loose hinge about a second orthogonal axis, so that with one lock detached the crossbar hangs freely and moves in a multi-axis articulated motion which prevents vandalism by prying and forcing the bar. U.S. Pat. No 5,014,527, issued on May 14, 1991, to Traller et al. provides a security device for protecting a door from forced entry. The device consists of two brackets, a rigid form and one or more male protrusions. The brackets are securely attached to both sides of a door jamb and secured adjacent and perpendicular to the center line of the keyed lock of the door. The form slides into the brackets, buttressed in place with the male protrusions when the door is closed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a door securing device which effectively prevents forced entry inwardly of the door.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a door securing device which is relatively simple to use, easy to manufacture, and relatively inexpensive.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a door securing device which resists the manipulation-style of forced entry.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.